"Sure. How about I pick the place?" Zhang Yang replied to the girl while also chatting with his mom for a bit.
He hadn't taken the whole thing too seriously to begin with. When a conversation fizzled out halfway and went nowhere, he simply stopped reaching out. He never wasted energy on things like that.
But this time, since his mom had set them up, he couldn't just blow her off.
Figuring he might as well meet her and make a new friend, Zhang Yang agreed.
"Okay. I'll wait for you to let me know tomorrow," she replied.
After exchanging a few brief messages, neither of them continued the conversation, as if they both knew this meeting was little more than a formality.
That night, Zhang Yang picked a Black Pearl restaurant in advance. Since the next day was a weekend, he also booked a table ahead of time.
The restaurant was on the Bund and was known for its scenic views.
The average cost per person was naturally quite high.
But since he was just making a new friend, Zhang Yang didn't mind spending a thousand or two.
Early the next morning, daylight flooded the sky.
After his morning workout, Zhang Yang unusually skipped making breakfast for himself and walked to a time-honored restaurant in the Magic City for a meal.
Restricting his diet for too long would slow his metabolism, so about once every ten days, he scheduled a cheat day to boost it and indulge the appetite he'd built up over the previous ten days.
On a cheat day, he could take care of anything he'd been craving or wanted to try.
Objectively speaking, cheat days did slow down his weight loss, but they helped him stick to his plan in the long run and eased his stress. Overall, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
"I've been watching what I eat for so long, it feels like my stomach's shrunk." Zhang Yang patted his already rather full belly and shook his head with a smile. He'd planned to really go to town today, but he'd barely finished one round of soup dumplings before he couldn't eat another bite.
In the past, that would've been just an appetizer.
The breakfast place was packed and incredibly noisy. If he missed out today, he'd have to wait another ten days, but Zhang Yang had truly reached his limit. He couldn't eat another bite.
He forced down another bowl of soy milk, then left reluctantly.
After breakfast came the main event of the day.
A new hairstyle and no more glasses.
First up, a complete makeover—starting with his hair!
He couldn't afford to be careless when changing his hairstyle. It didn't need to be distinctive, but it couldn't go wrong. Zhang Yang simply searched the review app and picked a nearby styling salon with some of the highest prices and a large number of reviews.
He had no idea which salon was more professional, but if they dared to charge that much, they had to know what they were doing, right?
The salon's black-and-gold decor made it look less like a place for hairstyling and more like a luxury boutique. As soon as Zhang Yang walked in, a pretty receptionist came over to greet him.
"Do you have a stylist you usually go to?" she asked.
Zhang Yang glanced at the list of stylists. At the top was the director, whose name really was Tony. His profile was followed by a long string of credentials that looked pretty impressive—not like he was all talk.
As for the price, his services started at 1,500 yuan, which seemed fitting for someone with the title of director.
"Then book me with Tony." Zhang Yang pointed at his name.
A short while later, in a private VIP room, a trendy, fashionable stylist sat face-to-face with Zhang Yang.
"What hairstyle do you think would suit my face?" Zhang Yang asked, looking into the full-length mirror.
"Taking your temperament into account, I think you should go for a mature, understated look. I strongly recommend a classic Hong Kong-style side part, swept back in a three-seven split." Tony gave his verdict at once.
"Like Bosco Wong's? Let's do it." Zhang Yang decided to trust the professional.
As if he'd just received a signal, Tony immediately got to work.
Sitting in front of the mirror, Zhang Yang watched Tony perm and trim his hair. The three-seven side part was both difficult to pull off and a test of the stylist's skill. One wrong move, and the whole thing could go badly.
Fortunately, Zhang Yang's hair was long enough, and his hairline was just right. The stylist charging 1,500 yuan really was quite professional, too.
There was no chance of it going wrong.
"What do you think?" Tony turned the chair around, proudly showing off his work.
Zhang Yang looked at himself in the mirror. He wasn't as handsome as Bosco Wong, but from the forehead up, he looked almost exactly like a classic Hong Kong-style swept-back hairstyle. He nodded in satisfaction.
The three-seven side part instantly elevated his whole look, making him more mature and stylish. Most importantly, he'd completed the task and received his reward.
"Where's the restroom?" Zhang Yang stood up and went to find it.
He'd completed the first task—changing his hairstyle—and received three experience points, along with top-tier hair quality.
In the restroom, Zhang Yang claimed his top-tier hair quality as well.
In an instant, he saw that the hair in the mirror had become incredibly black, thick, and smooth, with an indescribably luxurious sheen. Up close, he couldn't find a single curl or split end.
The three-seven side part had already turned out quite well, but now that his hair quality was top-tier, his hairstyle was practically the pinnacle of the Hong Kong-style three-seven.
Just looking at the hairstyle, even Bosco Wong would have to admit defeat.
When Zhang Yang walked out of the restroom, everyone in the salon—from stylists to customers—turned to look.
"My god, that hair looks amazing!"
"Which stylist did it?!"
"That cut turned out so well!"
"It's a shame he's not that handsome, with such a great head of hair."
Zhang Yang walked straight out of the salon. Tony stared blankly at his retreating back. Then a customer appeared in front of him.
"Sir, can you give me the same hairstyle he just got?"
"Absolutely!" Tony hurriedly nodded, belatedly snapping out of it. "Right this way!"
There was an eyewear store not far from the salon. Zhang Yang didn't waste any time and went straight in to buy a pair of contact lenses.
He wouldn't need to wear them for long anyway. He'd just finish the task first.
As soon as he put in the contact lenses, retiring the black-rimmed glasses he'd worn for years, the system's pleasant notification sounded again.
"Another three experience points!" Zhang Yang smiled and claimed his improved eyesight.
In an instant, his vision turned blurry, even though he was still wearing the contacts.
Got it. My eyesight's better now, so wearing contacts actually makes things blurry.
Once he took the contacts out, the world before him became incredibly bright and clear. It was the first time he'd ever seen the world this clearly through these eyes.
So this was the effect of improved eyesight?
Zhang Yang was once again amazed by the system's abilities.
Beside him, the saleswoman stared at him blankly and murmured, "Can putting in contact lenses really change someone that much?"
"How have I changed?" Zhang Yang picked up a mirror and took a look.
He froze.
It was still him in the mirror, but on closer inspection, his eyes looked bright and lively, and their shape was impeccable. If he put on a mask...
He'd never been a handsome guy before, but now he felt a stir of excitement.
After paying, he walked into a busy fast-fashion store. The place was full of trendy clothes, accessories, and all kinds of little knickknacks.
"I'll take these." He picked up a pack of ten black masks.
A short while later, a figure walked out of the fast-fashion store.
With his glossy black hair and lively eyes, he was enough to make people take a second look, even with a mask on.
Looks like it really works, Zhang Yang murmured to himself.
A few girls had just walked by, and he could clearly tell that some of them had looked at him more than once. It wasn't his imagination. He knew himself well enough to recognize that.
As he passed a shop window, Zhang Yang's steps slowed. He looked at his reflection.
Have I really changed that much?
Inside the store, several women shopping for clothes whispered among themselves. That hair was so glossy and stylish, and those eyes were so bright and lively.
Well... even with a mask on, the guy underneath had to be handsome, right?
After admiring his new look, Zhang Yang decided he shouldn't get caught up in this illusion. A little admiration was just curiosity; getting carried away would mean he'd lost his head.
So, after thinking it over, he took off his mask, bringing himself back to reality.
Behind him, the girls felt their fantasies shatter.
"What? He looks like a completely different person without the mask."
"So he was just another masked handsome guy after all."
Before you continue